Type name / number: Astra / Ascota ( Klasse) 110 (Electrical driven and by crank if necessary)
(This one had the Astra logo on it. Astra is renamed Ascota, see more details at the company details)
Production / SN: 110 - 41534
Calculating principle: Rocking Segment and Ten key keyboard (trapezium order)
Calculating functions: Add, Subtract
Input accuracy 12 digits
Calculating accuracy: 12 digits
Extra's: The R+ and R- key are repetitive add and - subtract function keys. Pushing the R+ key and holding it down for instance 5 cycles, you add the numerical keyboard entry 5 times to the result register. After that, the key board entry shifts one digit. This is done by shifting the Pin block, representing the keyboard content, one position. The German name of the Pin Block is: "Stellstiftwagen". Please see a full explanation at the menu item on the left:
"How do they calculate/ Rocking Segment / pg2".
So in other words each time the Pin block is shifting to the left, it is multiply the content of the numerical key board ten times. A next time, for instance holding the R+ key 2 cycles, will have a result register content multiplied by 20. In total by 5 + 20 = 25.
These function key's are predecessors of the full automatic multiply implementation and are seen at the following Ascota machines:   
R+ key is also at 111, 112, 113, 116, 117
R- key is also at 111, 112, 113, 117
Designer: ?
Production year: between 1953 and 1968 (total 153000 units produced)
Case material: Bakelite
Weight: 11,9 Kg
External links: http://www.robotrontechnik.de/index.htm?/html/computer/ascota.htm
Previous owner: Ms. S. Lippmann, Brand-Erbisdorf, Germany
Cosmetic imperfections:
(I accuse no one)		 The paint on the bakelite case partly removed.
Date of receiving: 2012 -march
Machine story: 012-03-26
First impression was: Machine calculation is fully functional. But after a while the motor starts turning without outside activation. Due to experience with earlier machines, the obvious failure direction leads to the spark extinguishing capacitor, across the mains on / of switch. When this capacitor is leaking it gets warm and the effect get worse. In this machine this capacitor is a part of a large metal sealed block, including the radio interference circuitry. The block temperature was 40/50 degrees. So a major problem.
A second failure turns up: The collector ring makes no strong contact with the carbon brush of the centrifugal speed control. Operating without the speed control give a noisy and to speedy machine in operation.

2012-03-27
Motor separated from the machine. One carbon brush has from the speed regulation collector ring burned into its holder. I drilled out the holder and replaced the carbon brush with a spare one from an defect machine. The motor mount together again.
It seems that the speed limitation of the Rheinmetall machines is the same, but with separate units and a schematics on it.

2012-03-28
On the dismantled motor, please see the pictures, I tried the Rheinmetall electronic circuit on the motor speed regulation / centrifugal switch. Parallel the 800 ohm ceramic power resistor and a series of an 4.7 ohm resistor and a capacitor of 0,3 uF. This all to limit the sparkling of the centrifugal switch and a smooth turning motor. And it works. The speed is reduced and the sparkling is hardly to see. Next to see if it works built in the machine and use the same spark reduced 4,7 ohm resistor and 0,3 uF capacitor shunted the on / of switch of the motor. Coils etc are, I assume, to limit radio interference.

2012-03-29
The electronic components I packed in a plastic box and filled with purr foam. The plastic box was the a millimeter or so smaller than the inner dimensions of the original tin plated box, so combined those two and soldered its sides. Connected the whole together. It works again.
I noticed the nine complements notation is now printed when results are negative??? How to switch between the two notations ??
The case cleaned. The valuable Astra logo was broken during this cleaning, very pity.

2012-03-31
I inspected the motor of an other Astra 110, this machine case was broken during transport. On this electronic unit was the schematic printed of the inside circuit. The resistor of the of the spark limitation circuit was here 15 ohm. My assumption was right that the coils were part of the radio interference limitation. The electronic unit will be tested on the leakage currents of the inside capacitors.

2012-04-02
Tested the block with the electrical circuit inside on the motor. First impression the sparkling is more with the original circuit, but due to the fact that I prefer original parts, I build in this original part. The temperature of the block was not substantially raised after 15 minutes idle.
The other machine has a protected metal plate around the main switch an de power resistor. I put this in this machine. The other machine had a electrical protection at the motor site wiring / open connectors but motor with the current machine the dimensions of the connector block differs. So unfortunately this will be electrical uncovered / unprotected.

2012-09-06
Try to find the printing problem of negative numbers by comparing the two 110's. The ink ribbon plate removed so that a clear view on the two registers exists. The contend of the register which switches is different in the lowest digit. More likely a nine-complement notation already and the glider mechanism above all the registers has a gap between the two pins in certain situations, what the good 110's not have. No solution found.

2012-12-21
During the searching after the erroneous printing of negative numbers (not found solution yet), I saw the results of a obviously heated box with the electric components. The isolation tallow / suet was leaked out. So time to restore it with the new components again!! Lessons learn. Hardly no old capacitor of those electric networks survives the long stay.

2012-12-22
The component box opened at the bottom site, shifted the tin-plated case off, showed the top capacitor, the one shunted the switches, was reshaped and had holes of missing isolation tallow. The obvious one who was heated. Please see the pictures taken of it.
I dismantled the whole circuitry and removed the RFI prevention ones, the coils etc. and placed only the switch protecting resistor(2x 4.7 Ohm in series) and capacitor (.3uF). Leaf the internal isolation plates against the inner walls of the case on place and isolate the wires and solder joints. Enforced the components with a wooden bar and solder the bottom of the case on the corners. Left the bottom opening open.

2014-06-04
I replaced the self repainted case with a one of a gift machine. The R+ and R- are not operative. And still printed nine complements in stead of the real negative numbers.

 

 

 

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